Memories of Elysium
by Laraty
Summary: This is the back story of Kathryn Shepard. Rated M just to be safe with a little bit of romance in there.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note:

Hello everyone,

This is my first fanfiction writing, and I do admit it took me a while to actually post it as I don't think that I'm that good. But since am the worst self-critic to ever walk this earth I figured I'd post it here and see what others actually think of it. Every positive feed back and constructive criticism are requested and welcome. This for me is just a hobby so I don't claim to be the next Stephen King, but I still wish to improve and if am lucky maybe entertain you. If all goes well maybe it will be the first of several stories coming from me, lucky you... or unlucky depending on your point of view hehe.

In the mean time I do hope that you enjoy it.-

**Memories of Elysium**

The shuttle was making its slow approach of the planet. She was looking out the window, it was a nice planet and it almost look like Earth in some feature. Growing up on ship and space station she had always felt more at home in space then on the ground. Alan had insisted on their shore leave to be spent in a place that was "nice" and not on a station. Granted she just did spent the last few months on an orbital platform for her zero-gravity combat training, but before that she had done her basic training back on Earth. She let go a sigh that she didn't realize she was holding in. She decided that as long as she was to spend that time with Alan it would be worth it even though it was time spent planet side.

She was brought back to reality when she heard the pilot opening the hatch. "Here you are Private, enjoy your shore leave" as he stepped away from the entrance to let her pass.

"I'll do my best to do so, Sir" she said with a sly grin, as she exited with a bag over her shoulder.

As she had made her way passed the custom and was welcomed to Elysium she heard a familiar voice. "Katy! Katy over here" that's when she saw him waving his arms like an idiot to get her attention. Even though he looked silly she thought he looked cute. Just as she past the security gate he ran to her and grabbed her in his strong arms lifting her from the ground "God I missed you Katy" locking his lovely brown eye into her ocean blue eyes. "I missed you too" was all she could reply almost laughing at his juvenile reaction. After making her spin a couple of time he put her down gently before bringing his lips to hers. Once they parted he looked at her with only love in his eye "So… you did miss me after all" was all she could say, as he replied only with the most charming smile.

Alan grabbed her bag in one hand and took her hand in the other as he started walking her out of the spaceport "C'mon Private I'll show you where you will bunk"

She grimaced at the idea of him using her rank, a fact he was well aware of "Alaaann…" she said, clearly annoyed.

"Fine. Private Shepard!" he said playfully.

"That's it I'm making you pay for that… later" she said with a smile as they exited the building and stepped onto the sidewalk.

He stopped and turned around to face her "Are you threatening a superior officer Private?" he said clearly amused at her reaction. Pulling her closer almost kissing her.

Almost losing all her self-control to the closeness they shared at the precise moment, all she could got out was a small whisper "No"

"No?" he said sarcastically whispering as well.

"No Sir" she replied smiling as she closed the final distance and kissed him.

Kathryn Shepard never liked living where she couldn't hear the humming of a spaceship engine. She had known that all her life. Her parents served in the Alliance. All of her life she went where ever the Alliance sent them, whether it was some space station or some ship. When she was twelve her father died in some "classified" accident. Her mother always had put on a strong face for her, but she knew she was hurting even to this day. She always remember how in love her parents were, and always dreamed of one day finding herself that special someone that would make her want to walk into hell for him.

They meet for the first time back on Earth. Shepard was sixteen and had been sent to her grandparents for an entire school year. Her mother never did that before but Hannah Shepard had convinced her daughter to do this. "It will be good for you to be on the ground side for a little while, you'll be able to make friends your own age over there. I'm sure you will like it". Liked it she definitely did not. She had been miserable for the first few months. The kids her age were all immature and only thinking about parties and games. She would have had preferred the company of Engineer Wilson to those kids. "At Least Wilson teaches me cool stuff" She thought. But as to not disappoint her mother she would tell her grand-mother she was going out with friends and instead going to a nearby park, lay back on one of the biggest tree out there and read or play the guitar. That's when she met him.

"Is that side of the tree taken?" what a lazy pick up line that was she thought at the time, as she looked up to see a young man. "It's not mine so I wouldn't know." She replied with a hint of indifference in her voice. So he sat and took out an OSD and started reading. Shepard was curious as to why that young man who at first she thought wanted to try and seduce her was actually just reading and why chose her tree when there were many other trees he could have choose from. After a few hours he simply stand up, stretched up turn to her said with a smile "thanks for letting me use your tree" and started walking away, leaving her with a very intrigue look on her face.

The next day at the same time he showed up again and the same thing happened. He sat to read and after a few hours stand up and left her there. Always making sure to say good bye to her with a smile. After a few days of the new routine she started to actually like the weird relationship and found herself eager to see him again the next day. Unfortunately the next day he didn't come, and even though they never really talked she felt like something was missing and caught herself looking around for him now and then instead of reading "to bad, he was kind of cute" she thought out load.

The next day he was back again to her great pleasure. This time when he asked permission to sit next to her tree she replied with a smile. It did not go unnoticed by the young man who smiled back at her before sitting. Just as he got himself ready to read he heard her say "You missed you reading time yesterday, I hope everything is ok?". He was surprised to hear her but not as surprised as she was herself. _Really smooth Kathryn_, she thought to herself. "My aunt needed my help with something for the day so I couldn't come." He paused for a second then turned a bit to look at her and extended his hand "My name's Alan, Alan Miller." She grabbed his hand "I'm Shepard" he gave her an inquiring look as she realised what she had done "Kathryn, sorry lived on military ship for too long, they usually use surname instead of your name up there" she explained with a shy smile.

She lost herself in the memory as she laid in bed on her side looking at the sleeping man next to her, in the hotel room they were staying at. She thought to herself, _could he be that special someone I was looking for._ Alan started to stir a bit and slowly open his eyes to see his beloved looking at him as she beamed a smile she said "Morning sleepyhead" as he smiled back.

"Didn't your mother ever told you it is impolite to stare at people?" as he smiled back at her.

"She also told me never to talk to stranger, I never heard you complain about that one though" She said with a sly grin as she came closer and started kissing him softly. Unable to resist her, he started caressing her hips as he drew her naked body closer to his. After a moment she broke the kiss so they could catch their breaths "I love you Alan" she said as she placed a hand on his cheek looking him in the eye. He realised at that moment what she meant. She had never said those words even after he said them to her many times, but he knew he needed to be patient that she was not opening up that easily. But right now, at this moment she had said it to him and only to him. "I love you too Katy" was all he could think of saying before he came closer and kissed her.

They went out for lunch after a while. Alan had promised her to go exploring after filling his empty stomach, since she was feeling hungry herself she didn't argue. They stop at a little café not far from their hotel. After a nice meal they were having a nice chat with a good cup of coffee.

"So is there a nice place with some music around here?" she asked with a smile before taking a sip of her coffee.

"I was wondering when you would ask about that. Speaking of which, I couldn't help but noticed. Where did you hid your guitar, you usually never go anywhere without it" he said with a smirk.

"I left it with my mother" she said with a sly grin looking into his eyes "I didn't think I'd have time for it anyway" she giggle as he smiled back at her.

Kate always took her guitar where ever she went. The last gift she got from her father before he died. She had always enjoyed playing the instrument and she always liked that her father enjoyed it too. Alan, like her father, liked to listen to her play.

They sit there a few hours more just chatting about everything and nothing in particular. One of the things she liked about their relationship was that they were not just lover but also best friends. They could share opinions and never argue about it, they simply accepted their differences in points of view when they didn't think the same. Kate was finding it refreshing as she remembered the multiple arguments she had in the past with her mother. Especially when it came to the kind of boy she was dating. The thought make her smile as she wonder if her father would have approved of Alan. He was after all the kind of man her parents wanted for her.

She was brought back to the present time when Alan soddenly got up offering her a hand. "Lets go for a walk Katy" she smiled and took his hand as she stand up to follow him.

They walked for a few hours before stopping at a water fountain in some park near the edge of the colony. Kathryn didn't fail at noticing how similar this park resembled the one back on Earth where they had met about 4 years ago. Alan knew how much Kate liked nature, something she had inherited from her father. A few minutes had passed as he simply enjoyed watching her taking in the beautiful sight around them he made her turn to face him and took her hands into his looking her in the eyes he smiled.

"Kathryn…" her smile vanished as it was never a good thing when he would call her by her full name instead of Kate or most of the time Katy. "… I know we'll probably be assigned in different ships and that we wont be able to see each other for long periods of time"

She couldn't help but to try and stop that kind of thinking "Alan don't think about that…"

But he didn't let her continue "Please Katy let me finish" She could feel his tension and thought _why is he so nervous_, and decided to let him continue. "I know am not the perfect guy, and that you would deserve someone much better than I am." She wanted so bad to say something as she didn't know where this was coming from. "I know for a fact that I don't deserve you. You are smart, funny and you probably can kick anyone's ass like nobody else can with those biotic of yours, witch for the records I am scared like hell to be on the receiving end one day." He said playfully trying to dissipate his nervousness and it did work a bit as he saw her smiled back at him. He once again composed himself before continuing "I guess what I'm trying to say is…" he took a big breath got down on one knee and said "Kathryn Shepard, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" as he got a small box from his pocket and presented to her the ring it was containing.

She stared at the ring for what seemed like an eternity Alan thought before she looked at him her eyes filled with tears she was fighting so hard to keep in, but when she looked at him and saw the love he had for her she couldn't hold them back anymore. Alan thought for a second there that this had been a terrible idea until she got to her knees in front of him grabbing his face with both hands bringing him closer to her and whispered "Yes" before kissing him.

When they finally parted for some air, he took the ring out of its box to slide it onto her finger. "It looks better on you" he said with a smirk and that comment made her giggle. The moment was perfect until an explosion made the fountain explode, the shockwave of the explosion sending them flying a few meter away. "What the hell…" she thought as they were both trying to get up to their feet a bit shaken but not injured by the interruption.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I finaly got around to resuming my writing. I am sorry for the delay, got cut up in enjoying the summer with the familly and other stuff like a new job and all. I will try and not take as long for the next part of my story. Please enjoy this one in the mean time.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Colonel Jonathan Harley walked in the control room with a cup of coffee in his hand. The room wasn't very big and it was filled with console and other equipment which served only one purpose, to keep the colony safe. Dark energy defense grids, AA guns and much more, all controlled from this point.

Elysium was the pride of his people, the proof that humanity was able to not only colonize planets but also to be self-sufficient and well protected.

Harley was in charge of its security now. Ex-military he had been honorably discharged a while back and decided to be useful and help secure this colony. He appreciated the calm of colonial life now, he had grown tired of the constant firefight that was part of the military life. Most of the people he had served with were now high ranking officer, but it was thanks to those friends that he had managed to get this job as head of the security force here. To serve and protect… and meet nice beautiful tourists. He smirked at the thought as he was trying to ignore the pounding headache he was feeling due in part to the wild party he had the night before. He remembered how the night had ended, or more to the point how the morning had ended, with a beautiful blonde who was on Elysium on vacation. His smile widen at the memory.

"I see someone had some fun last night" said a young officer as he saw Harley walked in with that big smile.

The voice made him look up. "Shut it Adams… and keep it down you two" he said as he pointed at two more officers in the back off the room that were obviously having fun at his expense.

Some noise from his console got Adams attention once again. "Sir. I'm am reading small fluctuation in the defence grid to the Northern part of the city" he said with a more serious tone.

He growled at the young man. "There is no need to yell LT. I'm right next to you" he said as he got closer to take a look at the console himself.

Adams surprised started to protest "But Sir I didn't…" he stopped at Harley's renewed growling.

"Never mind that… what do you have?"

At that moment a big explosion could be heard from outside. The light in the room flickered for a second.

"What now?" he said with a very annoyed tone in his voice.

"The grid is down in the northern section, Sir!" the LT'S reply.

"Reports are coming in, Sir! Our security teams are under heavy fire!" shouted one of the other officers from his consol.

"Maxwell, instruct our team to direct the civilians to the bunkers and get every one that is off-duty to arm themselves and be ready to join the fight." Harley ordered. The young officer at the consoles only nodded before he turned to his console to do what he was asked.

"I want to know who we are dealing with and I wanted to know yesterday, Adams" Harley said.

"Batarians Sir! If I had to guess I'd say slavers" Adams replied. "Shit... get me the Alliance on the comm… Now!" _This is not good_ was all Harley could think to himself.

* * *

A bit shaken by the explosion Shepard looked around to try and understand what had just happened, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Alan, he was speaking to her. After a moment she managed to focus back her attention to him. "Are you ok? Are you hurt?" she heard him ask with her ears still ringing from the explosion.

She shook her head "No, I don't… I don't think so. A bit shaken but otherwise I'm alright" She paused looking around "What's going on here?" as she looked at the devastation that had just occurred next to them, the fountain that they were standing next to a few minutes ago was now totally destroyed. She could hear a distant fire fight not too far from where they were, civilians were running away and some even screaming in panic. "I don't know but I sure as hell intend to find out" he said as he started walking towards the unmistakable sound of a battlefield. All she managed to do was a weak nod as she followed him towards the unmistakable sound of gun fight and the occasional explosion.

* * *

"What can you tell me on the situation Colonel?" ask the Alliance Admiral with a stern presence and a unshakable calm.

"From what we can gather, at least three ships Sir. But we are in bad shape, I'm not sure we can hold them off until you get here" there was a silence between the two man. "I don't have the man power Steven, we both know that"

Admiral Hackett looked grim at the comment. "Regardless Jonathan, you will have to do with what you have and hope for the best until we can reach you."

"I will, but be warned old friend… if I die here I plan on haunting you as a ghost." Harley said with a smile.

Which made Hackett laugh. "I'll look forward to that, but in the mean time I would rather you stay alive."

"I'll do my best as long as you get your ass here in time to enjoy the fun."

Steven chuckled at the comment before ending the communication. "I'll see you soon, Hackett out!"

As the image of the admiral vanished from the console Harley let out a sigh knowing full well that his old friend would not make it in time. _I'm not going down without a fight, _he thought.

Suddenly the comm. system went dark. "Sir, we just lost all communication with all units, off world to. We also lost automated control over the AA guns but it seems that their emergency system kicked in so it should buy us some time. But for the last report the Batarians were concentrating their attacks to the north."

Harley growled out of annoyance this time "Gear up people, we're going to the front."

"But Sir, unlike you we don't have a military training, we're just law enforcers."

"I don't care Adams and neither does those bastards out there. You swore to defend the people of this colony and that's what you're ganna do." On those word he stepped in front of him and forcefully pushed a rifle to the lieutenant's chest.

* * *

Shepard and Alan had quickly reached the hot zone. They took in the battlefield fast before taking cover next to one of the security officer.

"Who's in charge here" Alan asked.

"Sir this is no place for civilians please make your way to the bunkers where it will be safe" Shepard couldn't help it but burst into a small laugh, which was rewarded by a stare from Alan.

"Something funny Private?" he asked her more seriously.

"No Sir. I just never thought someone would refer to you as a civi, Sir" she answered with a smirk wich made him smile in return.

"Wait, you're Alliance soldiers?" the man blinked as they both nodded as an answer. "Thank God, the Colonel will be pleased to see you" He said as he pointed beyond the two soldiers "Speaking of the devil"

An older man took cover with a few more officers on his tail as he joined the group. "Report Parker, and please tell me you were sending those two civis to safety?" They started to smile at one another almost laughing at the comment.

"Lieutenant Miller, Alliance Sir! And this" he pointed at Kathryn "is Private Shepard. We are here to offer our assistance"

"Well I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth." He looked at his man and asked "how bad is it?"

"Very bad Sir." He opened his omi-tool to show hem a map of the area "they have breach the city wall here, and have tried to flank us ever since. We have been able to keep them at bay but that won't last long"

"we only need to last long enough for the Alliance to get here" with that he tried to hand Shepard his rifle.

"If you don't mind Sir I'll take that shotgun at your back if it's all the same to you."

"You won't hit shit with that at this distance kid" handing her the weapon she requested.

"Oh but I intend on looking them in the eyes when I send them to their grave… Sir!" she smirked, taking the weapon. giving a worried look to her lover, she nodded and made her way from cover to cover to get closer to her targets.

"What kind of a soldier tries to get up close and personal like that?" he asked more to himself, then looking at Alan who was obviously amused "What's up with that one?" he asked him nodding in Shepard's direction as he handed him a rifle.

"Biotic vanguard Sir! I suggest you don't piss her off either" he said with a smirk taking the rifle that Harley was offering him "She can get very nasty."

"That bad huh?"

Alan nodded at the question with a glimmer in his eye.

"Good thing she's on our side then, I suppose" Harley shrugged


End file.
